MEANING OF RELIGION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 58, 9 March 1935, Page 2 (Supplement)

MEANING OF RELIGION.

REVELATION OF REALITIES. Here is a helpful article, the first of a series of articles explaining salvation to people of various types and ages, in a recent number of the London "War Cry." It is from the pen of a Salvation Army officer, and here are some passages from it, intended for young men out of work. I began, to speak about religion to several young men who were on the "dole." "For Heaven's sake, Captain," they eaid, "do not talk to us about getting saved. There's nothiug we don't know about that 'dope.' What we want is a 'job. , " "I feel jiiy whole life is being ■wasted," said one of them. Now it is not easy to speak to men in that mood. It is worse than useless trying to answer such frankness with platitudes. We must admit that life is a struggle, a great struggle between Heaven and Hell, and man must make the choice between life with God and life without Him. Life with God is Heaven, here and hereafter; life without God is Hell, h<>re and hereafter.

Religion is not "dope" It is not a pious reverie, a moral system, or a fantasy life. It is a revelation of the realities which control life. The Christian religion is simple —and always has been. As the Gospel puts it, "Jesus, came into Galilee preaching the good news of God and saying: Repent of your sins and believe in the good news." He gave good news of God and God's Kingdom; good news that required on man's side a change of mind and heart.

Jesus knew something of the hardships of life. He was born in a stable and put to work in a carpenter's shop. He enters into every aspect of human life. To people conscious of their sin Hβ brings forgiveness of the Father. To the anxious He speaks of a trust in a Father who knows about Hie children's needs. Hβ is the Great Physician of souls. To the young man who feels life is being wasted He gives a new hope—a living hope that answers his. deep need.

It is the modern lie to identify God with the evils of life. Such thinking blasphemes His name. As a. social officer I meet men who have broken the laws of physical life. I sent a man to hospital who was a danger to the other inmates of the hostel because of the Bin in which, he had indulged. "Was his plight God's will? Not a bit of it; it wae evil—the absence of God.

The love of God is pitted against the natural tendencies of the human heart. Christianity means that the vilest may find salvation. Of that great truth Christ Himself is witness. In Him alone can men be saved. Those conscious of their sin, conscious of their need of guidance, gain from Him certainty of forgiveness and new power to do good. Christ changes the whole texture of personality. He changes moral defeatism into glorious victory. He it is Who gives us the power to meet every con-

tingency. You will not think me over pious if I suggest that prayer is our only hope of ever achieving certainty about God, and there is only one way of proving what prayer does, and that is to try it. Through prayer we have grace that enables us to conquer our own failures.

There is no promise that ae soon as we pray we shall get what Ave want. Many praying men are still out of work. They, like you, are sharing the general breakdown brought about by a general failure to order life on this planet in the right way. But the praying man is in touch with God and receives courage and hope and strength of character which in turn enable him to make his very misfortunes the means of ennobling his character.